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Government of Canada Invests $117,943 in Community Environmental Projects in Metro Vancouver and Whistler

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - May 22, 2010) - Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice today announced funding from the EcoAction Community Funding Program for two new environmental projects in Metro Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia. In total, $117,943 in federal funding will support local action to reduce pollution, improve air and water quality, and protect wildlife and natural habitat.

"As we celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity, it is particularly rewarding to underline the Government of Canada's commitment to conserving our country's incredible biodiversity," said Minister Prentice. "We are proud to support community groups in British Columbia and all across the country who are taking action to preserve Canada's natural heritage. The government is committed to addressing critical environmental issues and it is thanks to your positive actions that we are finding new ways to secure a more sustainable future for Canadians."

The Stanley Park Ecology Society will receive funding for water quality testing, wildlife surveys, and the restoration of native biodiversity in the Park's ecosystems, including its aquatic ecosystems and riparian zones.

"I am pleased that we are able to support community groups who are focused on environmental stewardship," added John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast and Sea to Sky Country. "It is the actions of organizations such as the Stanley Park Ecology Society and Whistler's Centre for Sustainability that will have positive, measurable results for the environment and for the community's quality of life."

"Thanks to support from Environment Canada's EcoAction Community Funding Program, we are able to release the first-ever Stanley Park State of the Park Project Report," said Patricia Thomson, Executive Director, Stanley Park Ecology Society. "Balancing the rich biodiversity and popularity of the famous Stanley Park depends on ensuring that we track, maintain and restore it with care."

The EcoAction Community Funding Program is an Environment Canada initiative that supports projects that rehabilitate, protect or enhance the natural environment, and builds the capacity of communities and individuals in support of a more sustainable Canada. The two projects announced today will assist locally-based, non-profit organizations in initiating actions that result in cleaner air, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water, and the protection of nature at the local community level.

More information about the EcoAction Community Funding Program is available on Environment Canada's website at the following address: www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction.

For more information and to view a backgrounder on this announcement, please visit http://www.ec.gc.ca/.